Ribbon-meter



s. E. PARRISH.

RIBBON METER APPLICATIGN FILED MAR. 17. 1917.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

amm SSE/MMM 5mg/vga.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN El PARRISH, Ol? GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

RIBBON-METER.

Application led May 17,

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it lmovvn that I, STEPHEN Il. Pennisi-1, acitizen of the United .States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and State ot' Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Impro ements in Ribbon-Metersg and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as Will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains tomalte and use the same.

This invention relates to a ribbon meter or measure particularly adaptedfor measuring the amount of ribbon or the like Wound upon a core,Without the necessity of entirely unvvintling the ribbon as has beenusually done heretofore. This invention is particularly dapte l r use instores carrying large supplies or ribbon having, especial value forinventory. It is usual When an inventory of stoerv is made in a storecarrying ribbon, to unwind, measure and rewind each bolt of ribbon inorder to determine the amount of the Stock on hand. My invention has forits primary object and purpose the provision of a ribbon meter in vhichthe amount of ribbon in any bolt may be readily determined the meterWithout unvvindino' the same; and the invention consists in novelconstructions and organizations of elements for effectively attainingthis end together ivith many others not specifically enumerated butwhich vvill be parent as understanding` of the invention is had from thedisclosure of a preferred form thereof in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Figure l is a substantially vertical section through the meter and,

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof parts being broken away and shown insection to better disclose the construction.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the vieivs of thedrawings.

In construction, a bottom plate or" sheet metal 1 is provided from theedges of which Sides 2 and 3 project substantially at right angles, theplate being relatively narrou7 at one end and then Widening as shown,sides 2 and 3 similarly being bent as indicated at l and 5 in conformitywith the shape of the plate 1. The ends of the plate 1 are similarlyprovided with end pieces 6 and 7 which project therefrom in the samedirection as the sides. In practice the bottom plate and Speceaticn ofLetters Patent.

Patented N ov. 22,1921. 1917. Serial No. 169,188.

the sides 2. 3, (3 and 7 may be formed from a single piece of sheetmetal though such particular formation from a single piece of sheetmetal is not an essential feature ofthe invention. A cover plate 8 isprovided of the same form as the bottom plate 1, being connected theretoby screws '9 1which pass through the cover plate turned lips 10 integralWith the sides and ends heretofore noted. In this manner a sheet metalhousing is provided in which part of the mechanism of the meter isinclosed.

lVithin the housing a lever of modiied channel form having a Web andflanges 11 and 12 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin 13 which passesthrough and is disposed between the bottom and top of the housing. Theflanges 11 and 12 incline toward each other and come together each sideof the pivot and at the upper end are connected to a member 14 which inturn passes through a slot in a cylindrical rod l5 slidably mounted inand passing through the sides 2 and 3 of the housing. A. pin 1G passesthrough the rod 15 and through a .slot in the member 14 as shown.Normally one end of the rod 15 bears against a prong 17 which isfashioned at the end of a member 1S fixed to the side 2 of the housing,said prong 17 paralleling the side 2.

The lever is spring actuated, one arm of a coil Spring 19 bearingagainst the lever While the other bears against the inner face of theside 2 of the housing. The spring is coiled around a pin 20 fixed to thebottom 1 and the tendency of the spring is to force the lever over untilthe end of the rod 15 bears against the prong 17 as described. A member21 loosely connects to the lever and passes through the side 3 of thehousing at its end having ay head 22 adapted to be engaged by the thumbof the operator whereby the force of the spring may be overcome and thelever moved in the opposite direc` tion. The lower end 7- of the housinghas a longitudinal slot 23 through which flanges 11 and 12 may pass.Flange 12 is turned at right angles, as indicated at 24, around the end7 of the housing and then turned back over the cover 8 of the housing asindicated at 25 and fashioned into an elongated loop 26 centrally andlengthwise of Which a Wire 27 is fixed. The loop 26 and Wire 27 duringmovement of the lever are and thread into inreference must be made tohead 22, and then forcing adapted characters 28 which are placed uponthe cover 8 as shown. y Y

There is also placed upon the cover 8 a series oi marks, indicated atQ9, whichE are spaced a short distance apart each being indicated by acharacter, letters [i to M inclu sive indicating the marks in thedisclosure made. A pointer 30 at one end' is adapted to associate withthe series of marks 29, mov ing between stop pins 31 and beingpivot'ally mounted at 32 adjacent the end 25 oit the lever. lowerextension 38 is made to the pointer normally engaging with a projection34 iormed integral with the part 25 ot the lever, whereby in normalposition ci the parts of the mechanism as shown in Fig. 2, the pointeris throv vn over to its extreme position to the left. As soon as thelever and attached rod 15 are moved away from normal position, a spring235 associated with the pointer, has a tendency to move the pointertoward the right over the series of marks 29. In the operation otmeasuring a bolt ot ribbon the first step is to takev one thickness ofribbon and place it between the prong 1T and the end of the rod 15. inmost cases the ribbon wound upon a core is lwound with a strip of paperof equal length, and in such case one thickness ot ribbon and onethickness of the paper shoultl be placedV between prong 17 and the endoi' rod 15. This moves the lower end of the lever aV short distance tothe lett and permits a slight movement oi the pointer to the right overmarks 29, the extent of the movement being dependent upon the thicknessof the ribbon and of the paper used with it. moves adjacent the end oione of the marks 29. For instance suppose it moves to the end of theline D. n such case line D ot the indicating characters at 28 is the onevto which determine the amount of goods in the bolt. .fitter this matteris determined the entire thickness ot ribbon on one side ot the core isinserted between the prong 17 and the end of the rod 15, whereupon thewire 2 moves a distance to the left and at its stopping point over theselected line, such as D, ot the scale indicated at 28, will beindicated the number of yards of ribbon in the bolt. The placing of theribbon between the prong 17 and the end ot rod 15 is accomplished bymoving rod 15 away from the pointed prong by pressing on the pointedprong 17 between the ribbon and the core on which it is wound,thereafter releasing the rod 15. The pointed prong readily insertsbetween the ribbon and core. The scale at 28 is determined empiricallyand in actual practice the meter is capable ot accurately measuringbolts of ribbons to within a very small fraction of the amount asdetermined by unwinding and measuring the ribbon.

to pass over a series of indicating The pointer thereupon.

This meter is capable ot measuring rib-- bons of all degrees oithickness without any l necessity of a Aseparate instrument forditferent kinds of ribbons. ln the `practical merchandising ot ribbons,the cores on which the ribbons are wound vary so little in size thatthey need not enter into the calculation at all; The thickness ot theribbon and the thickness ot the entire amount of the ribbon on the coreare the two determining factors and both are recognized and taken careoi in my invention.

Various changes in constructive detail may be resorted to withoutdeparting from my invention and accordingly l' do not wish to be limitedto the specific disciosure made other than is necessitated by the termset the claims which deiine the invention.

In this connection itis noted that the term ribbony used throughout thespeciiication is usedin its generic sense and that the device is notonly adapted to measure various thicknesses oit ribbon but also anyother similai` wound goods such as cloth or the like which may be woundupon various types ot cores.`

1. In combination, a supporting structure, a pointed prong'securedto andspaced a distance from said structure, a rod slidably lmounted on thestructure and yieldingly bearing against the prong, there being a seriesof lines of indicating characters carried by said structure, meansconnected to the rod and operable over the indicating characters wherebyon insertion of the prong under a thickness of ribbon wound on a coreand engagement of the rod against the outer surface of the ribbon saidmeans is carried to a. point over the indicating characters indicativeot the amount of material, and means controlled by the insertion or" onethickness of ribbon'between the prong and rod `for determining theselection of the line of indicating characters to which the pointerbears 'reference with respect to the ribbon, substantially as described.

2. in combination, a sup-porting structure, a pointed prong secured toand spaced a distance from said structure, a rod slidably mounted on thestructure and yieldingly bearing against the prong, there being a seriesot indicating characters arrangedV in a plurality oit lines andot1indicating marks on the supporting structure, means on theV supportingstructure adapted to pass over said marks and being made operable by theinsertion of one thickness of ribbon to be measured `between the prongand rod for the selectionot the line of indicating characters to beused, and means connected tov the rod and operable over the lines ofindieating characters whereby on insertion of, the prong ,under althickness of 'ribbon wound on a core and engagement of the rod againstthe outer surface' ot the ribbon, said means is carried to a. point overthe selected line of indicating characters indicative of the amount ofmaterial on the core, substantially as described.

3. Means for measuring ribbon wound on cores comprising a supportingstructure there being a series of lines or' indicating characters fordifferent thicknesses of ribbon carried thereon, a member movablymounted on said structure and adapted to move over said characters,means operatively associated with said member for determining the lineof characters to be used for a ribbon to be measured, and means formoving said member over the selected line a distance proportionate tothe thickness of ribbon wound on the core, substantially as described.

l. In combination, a sheet metal housing, a prong secured to a sidethereof adjacent one end of the housing and spaced a distance from saidside, a rod slidably mounted on the housing, a lever pivotally mountedbetween its ends within the housing and having connection at one end tosaid rod, means acting on the lever to force the rod against the prong,an elongated loop formed at the opposite end and bent back over thehousing, said housing at its end being slotted to pass the lever, a wiredisposed between the ends of said loop, the housing being provided witha plurality of lines of indicating characters over which the loop andwire are adapted to pass, a pointer pivotally mounted between its endson the housing, and having one end engaged by said lever, spring meanstending to move the other end of the pointer over the housing, thehousing having a series of lines thereon relatively placed according todifferent thicknesses of ribbon and with which said other end of thepointer is to register, and designated to correspond with said lines ofindicating characters over which said loop and wire are adapted to move,substantially as described.

5. In combination, a support, a prong secured to a side thereof adjacentone end of the support and spaced a distance from said side of thesupport, a rod slidably mounted on the support, means yieldingly forcingthe rod against the prong, a lever pivotally mounted between its ends onthe support and having connection at one end to said rod, the oppositeend of the lever bein movable over the support, a plurality or lines ofindicating characters on the support over which the free end of thelever is adapted to pass, a pointer pivotally mounted between its endson the support and having one end engaged by the lever, and spring meanstending to move the pointer over the support, said support having aseries of lines thereon with which said pointer is to register anddesignated to correspond with said lines of indicating characters overwhich said lever is adapted to move, substantially as described.

6. in combination, a support, a prong secured in spaced apart relationfrom and to one side of the support, a rod slidably mounted on thesupport, means movably mounted on the-support, and connected to the rod,means for yieldingly holding the rod against the prong, said supporthaving a plurality or' lines of indicating characters thereon over whichsaid first mentioned means is adapted to pass, a pointer movably mountedon the support, and normally engaged by said means to hold it at apredetermined position, said support having a series of indicatingdevices thereon with which said pointer is to register and designated tocorrespond with said lines of indicating characters over which saidmeans is adapted to pass, and means for moving the pointer over saidindicating devices whenever freed for movement by a movement of saidmovably mounted means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature.

STEPHEN E. PARRISH.

